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Chemicals maker Orica will feel the full force of the law if any wrongdoing is proven after waste water containing high levels of cyanide was discharged into Gladstone Harbour, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says.

"If they have been found in breach of their requirements we will throw the book at them," she told reporters in Cairns on Friday.

Queensland's Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) is investigating Orica over the releases in January and February.

It says the company could be fined up to $832,000 if it's found it failed to properly report the incidents to authorities.

High levels of cyanide can cause fish kills. DERM said there was no evidence so far of environmental damage but tests were continuing.

DERM issued an environmental protection order to Orica on Thursday night, ordering it to cease waste water releases from its Yarwun chemical plant, eight kilometres northwest of Gladstone.

Orica is licensed to discharge waste water containing one milligram per litre of cyanide via a trade waste facility.

The company has advised DERM a number of discharges with twice that amount have occurred since January.

DERM's associate director General Terry Wall said a investigation was under way and water samples had been collected from Orica's facility on Thursday night.

He said, so far, there was no evidence of any fish kills.

"There has been no reported fish kill in the vicinity of the discharge point to date," he said.

"This tends to indicate that discharge has been diluted sufficiently to be within environmental limits. Limits for human exposure are higher than environmental limits and are, therefore not likely to have been breached."

He said DERM would undertake further water quality, sediment and fish sampling from Gladstone Harbour near the discharge point on Friday.

"The company will be prevented from further discharging off-site until such time as DERM is satisfied appropriate controls are in place to ensure the company can meet its obligations," Mr Wall said.

Ms Bligh said the halt in Orica's operations were likely to last several days.

"That cease of operations may last from anywhere from three to seven days while this matter is investigated," she said on Friday.

"If there has been any breach of their environmental conditions then there is a potential for a $2 million fine and up to five years jail for directors."

She played down questions of a link between the Orica operations and the sick fish that have been found in Gladstone Harbour since last year.

"There has only been evidence of one breach about a week ago," she said.

"There has been no evidence of any fish kills in the area but until this has been investigated we need to have to have a really good look at it."

Orica said it was co-operating with the DERM investigation.

"There has been no harm to people or the environment as a result of this release," it said in a statement on Friday.

Orica said it had advised DERM it was not currently exceeding the licence limit and was conducting its own internal investigation.

Orica is one of the largest makers of sodium cyanide in the world, producing around 95,000 tonnes a year. Sodium cyanide is principally used as a leaching agent in the goldmining industry.

Authorities have recently been investigating the cause of sick fish in Gladstone Harbour and are yet to find a definitive cause.